Moving -- Gah!

I've lived in 14 states and four countries.

I've lived in roughly 35 homes, apartments, barracks, etc.

I've lived in a one room house on the Great Plains. I've lived in a spacious apartment overlooking L.A. Harbor. I spent 13 months in a Quonset Hut 37 kilometers from North Korea. I spent 17 days the guest of the Laymon Family as I looked for other digs. I lived with 59 of my newest and closest friends in a resort located in Columbia, South Carolina, we affectionately call Basic Training at Fort Jackson. I lived in a trailer in Sioux Falls, an apartment in Youngstown, a townhouse in Colorado Springs, ghetto housing on Fort Bragg, a rental home in the crack part of town near Fort Huachuca, and the Ambassadorial Residence in Papua New Guinea.

Working on SEAL Team 666 in Dining Room

I've seen it all. I've lived it all. In fact, I've now moved enough that I know what I need.

I need enough space to live, but not too much space to clean.

I need a two-butt kitchen.

I need a yard big enough to enjoy but small enough that I only have to spend a few minutes upkeep.

I need a place to write. I've only had two offices before. When I first started writing up to 2004 I used dining room tables. In fact, I'm using one now. My first office was a nice space I had for only a few months before we moved. My last office was a long windowless space in the basement. It was a man cave. And it was awesome. For a while. What I missed was seeing other living beings and light. Now my office is in a loft space that is bright and spacious and has six windows.Once I unpack the boxes and get some shutters for the south-facing windows, I can actually use it.Until then, I have this table.

You know, I envy those who have never moved. Stability. Never having to pack and unpack boxes. There's something to be said for that. Of course, there's the other side too. They never experience the thrill of a new place. The joy of hanging a picture in a new perfect spot. The satisfaction of finishing a room.

My New Office

So I'm here now in my new house. I probably won't be in it forever, but I hope it's a long time before we move. Yvonne and I searched for this sort of layout for several years before we were satisfied. We're hard people to please, mainly because we feel that there's enough out there that we shouldn't have to settle.

Yeah. This is a rockin' house.

It's bad ass.

Most of all I'm just happy that we aren't moving anymore.